Jennifer Buckingham argues that there is insufficient evidence to believe that, in general, even high-quality formal child care in the early years is either beneficial or harmful to children in the long term. Executive summary • Numerous reports on child care produced in Australia over the last decade have made strong claims about immediate and...

This paper argues that centralised staffing systems benefit teacher unions but are to the disadvantage of students or even the majority of teachers. It is said to be a system that delivers neither quality nor equality. The paper suggests that more autonomy be given to schools to appoint and dismiss teachers. This paper argues that...

Australia has a serious shortage of suitably qualified maths and science teachers and a continuing problem with attracting good teachers to rural schools. When a problem is enduring and is not being improved by current approaches, new strategies are needed. Jennifer Buckingham argues that allowing qualified professionals to become teachers through school-based teacher training has...

A recent Australia Institute report dismissing non-government schools as irrelevant to student achievement is seriously flawed, argues Jennifer Buckingham. The report contends that parents would be wiser to save money they might spend on non-government schooling, and use it for a full-fee university place. Its central argument, that schools do not directly affect student achievement...

The Vinson Report on Public Education in NSW contains a wealth of information, and makes important points about schools, teachers and education in public schools throughout the state. The Report’s recommendation on class sizes has attracted more attention than any other. This is unfortunate because it is on this issue that the Report is weakest...